Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (7)

Jennette Arnold: For Oyster (Travelcard valid for longer than one month) tickets, can you confirm how many a) journeys and b) oyster cards TfL believe were eligible for a refund?

The Mayor: Please see below for answers to your questions:

TfL Private Healthcare

Susan Hall: Can you provide the cost of the private healthcare discount provided to TfL employees, with a breakdown covering the last 5 years?

The Mayor: The Private Medical Benefit scheme provided by Transport for London (TfL) is a valued and important part of its reward offering which seeks to help employees recover from illness or accident so that they are fit to return to work within a shorter period of time.
The table below confirms the payments made by TfL into the Private Medical Benefit Trust Fund since 2015. The Fund covers the cost of the claims made by employees and is based upon membership. The trust fund covers the cost of the medical claims made by employees and is calculated annually based upon the number of benefit participants and our previous risk profile. Insurance is purchased to protect the fund against individual high claims and the total fund value being exceeded. TfL reviews this offering in partnership with Willis Tower Watson, its external healthcare advisors, to ensure that the scheme continues to provide value for money on a regular basis.
Year
Cost (£m)
2019/20
£4.79m
2018/19
£4.94m
2017/18
£5.25m
2016/17
£5.07m
2015/16
£4.79m
Total
£24.84 million

Delivery of protected cycle routes (8)

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/12035, in which you gave me updates on the progress in delivering protected cycle lanes. How many further kilometres of protected cycle lanes have been delivered since you gave this answer in June, 2019? Can you give the length in: a) kilometres, b) route designation, and c) the start and end points for each delivered section of protected cycle route?

The Mayor: Please refer to my answer to Mayor’s Question 2019/20741.

Delivery of protected cycle routes (9)

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/12035, in which you gave me updates on the progress in delivering protected cycle lanes. How many further km of protected cycle lanes are you expecting to deliver between when you gave this answer in June 2019 and 7 May 2020? Can you give the length in: a) kilometres, b) route designation, and c) the start and end points for each delivered section of protected cycle route?

The Mayor: Under my watch, Transport for London (TfL) continues to make good progress on my election pledge to triple the amount of protected space for cycling across London. Since June 2019, TfL has completed or started construction on over 20km of additional protected space. By 7 May over 40km will have been started or completed since June 2019. Below is a list of sections of route which contribute to this additional protected space:
This achievement will mean I will exceed my election pledge of tripling the amount of protected space for cycling in London.

Cycleway 9 (2)

Tony Devenish: Given that a petition opposed to Cycleway 9 has now gathered more signatures than the responses received to the initial consultation, do you recognise that there is a long way to go in working with local residents to reach agreement on a proposal that receives the broad support of local communities?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) consulted on Cycleway 9 in 2017 where 59 per cent of people who responded strongly supported or supported the scheme. Following that consultation, TfL engaged extensively with local stakeholders throughout 2018. It was through this engagement process that TfL was able to revise certain aspects of their design, which it subsequently re-consulted on, at Kew Bridge, Duke Road and Duke’s Avenue in January 2019.
TfL has since worked closely with and received necessary approvals from, both the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham. This demonstrates that both boroughs recognise the urgent need to construct a safer cycling route in this part of London.
The significant amount of local engagement has resulted in a high-quality scheme and TfL will continue to engage with local residents who are affected by the construction works.

Renaming Quietways to Cycleways

Joanne McCartney: A constituent has asked me to ask what the reasons are for the renaming of all Quietways to Cycleways? Quietways are for both walkers and cyclists and there is concern that this re-branding excludes walkers.

The Mayor: The decision to move to a single brand for London’s cycle network is founded on extensive research with Londoners, including cyclists and non-cyclists. Feedback from Londoners said that they found the Cycle Superhighway and Quietway names misleading and confusing, and that they would prefer a simpler approach to branding London’s cycle network.
Transport for London always sought to improve conditions for walking alongside its investment in cycling, including investment in new crossings and additional pedestrian space. This will continue.

Park Lane/Hyde Park Corner Traffic Lights

Tony Devenish: A constituent has contacted me regarding the traffic lights at the south end of Park Lane at Hyde Park Corner. He states that there was a significant traffic jam that appeared to be caused by the lights only letting out three or four cars per lane before staying red for a long period of time. Please confirm the current timings of these traffic lights and will you give my constituent an explanation for why the wait is so long?

The Mayor: The green time at this junction is balanced between Hyde Park roundabout and Park Lane using Transport for London’s (TfL’s) adaptive traffic control system (called SCOOT). This system varies timings depending on the traffic conditions detected. Operators in TfL’s control centre can intervene and change signal timings to hold or restrict certain routes when incidents occur. If your constituent can provide details of the time and date when their journey was delayed to TfL’s Customer Services at the address below they would be happy to investigate the cause of the delay.
TfL Customer Service
4th Floor
14 Pier Walk
London SE10 0ES

Holland Park Avenue

Tony Devenish: Rather than seeking to push through plans unsuitable for the area, will you commit to supporting Kensington and Chelsea Council's plans for Cycleway 10?

The Mayor: Having published the consultation report for the proposed improvements between Wood Lane and Notting Hill, Transport for London (TfL) continues to work with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to finalise plans for its section of the route, whilst developing a series of proposals for the section in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to address concerns raised during the consultation. TfL has not received any alternative plans from the RBKC. TfL will continue to engage with them and key local stakeholder groups to discuss potential changes to the proposed scheme.

Cycleway 9 (3)

Tony Devenish: Given TfL’s own audit projects speeds along Hammersmith Road will be reduced to 3.75 mph if Cycleway 9 goes ahead in its current form, what will it take for you to recognise that it needs wholesale revision in order to be viable?

The Mayor: 9A new safer cycling route from Brentford to Olympia will provide significant improvement for west London with high quality safe facilities for people walking and cycling. It is part of my overall strategy towards Vision Zero, will contribute towards my target of 80 per cent of trips to be made by sustainable transport by 2040, and will help address London’s air quality crisis.
The scheme has been subject to a full public consultation, which included details of the traffic assessments, where 59 per cent of people who responded strongly supported or supported the scheme. Both the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham have now provided the necessary approvals. Transport for London is confident that the network will operate effectively once the scheme has been completed.
Enabling works have now started at Kew Bridge, with main works due to start on 22nd December, taking advantage of the quieter time of year for traffic.

Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (5)

Jennette Arnold: For Oyster (pay as you go, 7 Day Travelcard or Monthly Travelcard) tickets, can you confirm how many people applied for a refund, having not received one automatically? Of those, how many people subsequently received a refund?

The Mayor: Data is not captured at this level of detail and would only be available by manually checking customer contact records.
However, the Transport for London Contact Centre processed 588 refunds for a total value of £19,462.30 for all other types of ticket including paper tickets, weekly, monthly and other refunds not automatically applied.

Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (6)

Jennette Arnold: For Oyster (pay as you go, 7 Day Travelcard or Monthly Travelcard) tickets, can you confirm how many people received their refund a) up to 2 weeks after their journey and b) over 2 weeks after their journey?

The Mayor: Refunds were made in arrears for a week of travel therefore it is not possible to determine which journeys received a refund for a specific journey.
However, the travel dates and the date on which refunds were processed is shown below:

Santander Cycles

Andrew Dismore: Do you have plans to extend the roll out of the Santander bicycle scheme? Residents of Barnet, especially in East Finchley, would like to see the scheme extended.

The Mayor: Yes. Santander Cycles was successfully expanded to Brixton last year and new docking stations will be built along the route of Cycleway 4 in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, which is currently under construction. Transport for London will be looking at other opportunities for expanding the scheme alongside new Cycleways where it makes sense from an operational and financial perspective.
We are also intensifying the scheme within its existing footprint. In December, new docking stations were opened at Blackfriars, Paddington, Victoria and Queensway stations, and the docking station on Tooley Street extended.
We are always happy to speak to boroughs about the potential for further expansions of the scheme, subject to operational and financial considerations. From an operational perspective, an expansion to East Finchley is unlikely to be workable without first expanding to Kentish Town, Gospel Oak and Highgate. I would encourage you to speak to my Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, in the first instance.

Camden Road junction with Camden Street

Andrew Dismore: TfL recently consulted on plans to ban the left turn at the Camden Street Junction with Camden Road. They received 249 responses to the consultation; of which 44 per cent stated that the banned left turn made them feel less safe or much less safe. Just 34 per cent of people who walk and 24 per cent of those who cycle in the area stated that the proposals would make them feel safer or much safer when moving around the junction. Which such clear opposition to these plans, why are TfL going ahead with them?

The Mayor: The junction of Camden Road and Camden Street is one of the most dangerous junctions in London, and I am committed to making it safer for people who cross it to access two stations, several schools and a supermarket. 15 people were injured at the junction in the 36 month period to December 2018, including two serious injuries. The proposals include a new pedestrian crossing over Camden Road, and more space for cyclists and pedestrians around the junction.
In terms of the overall consultation response, 34 per centof pedestrians said the proposals would make them feel safer compared to 17 per centless safe (other responses were neutral). Transport for London’s (TfL’s) consultations are not a referendum, and it does not make decisions purely because of a majority view. TfL reports the views expressed during the consultation, and considers these alongside other factors, including the wider benefits of the project for the strategic transport network and its users.
The consultation response regarding the banned turn reflects concerns from the local community about traffic dispersing onto residential roads. TfL’s analysis shows that relatively low numbers of vehicles are expected to disperse over a wide area. It is working with the local borough on additional signage to keep traffic on the main roads, alongside a monitoring strategy to help shape further mitigations for residents if needed. Not banning the turn would mean a significant traffic queue on Camden Street would drive motorists to “rat run” on local roads, as well as delay the 10,000 bus passengers that travel through the junction in the morning peak.

Baker Street and Gloucester Place (1)

David Kurten: I note that both Baker Street and Gloucester Place were converted from one-way to two-way traffic in July of this year. How many road traffic accidents have occurred on both roads since that date and how many pedestrians have been injured by vehicles on both?

The Mayor: The Baker Street Two Way Project - led by Westminster City Council, in partnership with TfL and with the support of the Baker Street Quarter Partnership and The Portman Estate - became operational on Monday 25 February 2019. The project aims to transform Baker Street and Gloucester Place into pleasant streets where people can get about easily and safely, relax and spend time. By reintroducing two-way traffic flow and complementary improvements to the public realm in the area, the project will make the whole area more pedestrian friendly and accessible and restore the unique Marylebone character.
Provisional figures from the police, from 25 February to 10 December 2019, show that 29 people were injured in road traffic collisions on Baker Street and Gloucester Place. Of these, six people were injured whilst walking. These figures are provisional and subject to change.
Finalised figures for 2018 for the comparable period, 25 February to 10 December, show that 53 people were injured in road traffic collisions on Baker Street and Gloucester Place. Tragically this included one cyclist who was killed in a collision involving a heavy goods vehicle. Of this total, 14 people were injured whilst walking.
Transport for London will continue to monitor the number of collisions that have occurred before and after the implementation of the Baker Street project. Road danger reduction figures for 2019 are currently being fully verified and will be published in spring 2020 in line with the publication of the Department for Transport’s national dataset at https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/road-safety.

Baker Street and Gloucester Place (2)

David Kurten: I note that the sponsors of the Baker Street and Gloucester Place two-way project proposed ‘significant improvements to pedestrian amenity in the area’.1 However, with longer waits for pedestrians on crossings and shorter crossing times, how does this new reality square with the original intention?
http://www.bakerstreettwoway.co.uk/#mean

The Mayor: The Baker Street two-way project was delivered by Westminster City Council, in partnership with Transport for London (TfL) and provides public realm improvements on Baker Street and Gloucester Place. Footways have been widened where possible, and pedestrian crossing facilities have been improved at over 50 locations, including on Gloucester Place where there was no previous signalled pedestrian crossing. Existing crossings have been widened and ‘all-red’ pedestrian crossing stages have been added where possible. Although it has been necessary to increase signal timings at some locations in order to introduce the new pedestrian facilities, these increases have been kept to a minimum.
Following the scheme’s introduction, TfL has been reviewing the operation of the traffic signals across the area and making adjustments where appropriate to ensure the right balance of time is allocated to each mode of transport at different times of day. For example, TfL recently increased the length of the pedestrian green signal at Gloucester Place / Dorset Square from 8 seconds to 12 seconds. London’s adaptive traffic light control system - ‘SCOOT’ - is currently being installed in the area to give further flexibility to how traffic signals operate in real-time.

Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (1)

Jennette Arnold: TfL have confirmed that if you travelled on the Gospel Oak to Barking line between 31 August and 1 October 2019, you are eligible for a refund - it will be issued for every full or part journey made on the route. For contactless tickets, can you confirm how many a) journeys and b) contactless cards were refunded? Please outline the total value of the refund.

The Mayor: Please see below for answers to your questions:

Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (3)

Jennette Arnold: For contactless tickets, can you confirm how many people received their refund a) up to 2 weeks after their journey and b) over 2 weeks after their journey?

The Mayor: Refunds were made in arrears for a week of travel therefore it is not possible to determine which journeys received a refund for a specific journey.
However, the travel dates and the date on which refunds were processed is shown below:

Refunds for free travel on Gospel Oak to Barking trains (4)

Jennette Arnold: For Oyster (pay as you go, 7 Day Travelcard or Monthly Travelcard) tickets, can you confirm how many a) journeys and b) oyster (pay as you go, 7 Day Travelcard or Monthly Travelcard) cards were refunded? Please outline the total value of the refund and break down by ticket type (pay as you go, 7 Day Travelcard or Monthly Travelcard).

The Mayor: Please see below for answers to your questions:
The total value of refunds by ticket type is shown below:
Ticket Type
Value of refund
Pay as you go
£347,411.15
1-7 Day travelcard
£109,076.05
Monthly travelcard
£33,572.50